CSO Urge NEDC, Ministry To Create Liaison Desks For Improved Synergy

The Northeast Civil Society Peace and Security (NECSF) has called upon the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, along with other relevant partners, to establish Civil Society Liaison Desks for enhanced coordination and synergy in their work.

This recommendation was presented in a communique during the organization’s retreat, read by its Chairman, Ambassador Ahmed Shehu, in Abuja yesterday.

The retreat and send forth session was in honour of the outgoing UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria my Matthias Scmale.

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The communique appealed to all critical stakeholders to recall, honor, and take concrete steps toward realizing their commitments to localization and the Grand Bargain made during the 2017 World Humanitarian Summit.

It also called for a review of the conditions attached to accessing funding, capacity strengthening, and opportunities for local civil society.

“The forum has resolved to intensify advocacy and engage constructively with governments at all levels to ensure effective service delivery to the citizenry.

“We urge the Northeast governors and the forum to establish special programs, events, or channels of engagement with citizens through town hall meetings and community consultations. We believe this will significantly contribute to early warning and response to crises, as well as address the growing trust deficit.

“The summit calls upon the Northeast Governors Forum to develop a regional peace, stabilization, and development strategy to address the unique challenges within the region.

“To accelerate development in the Northeastern states, the Northeast Development Commission should support the states by initiating pro-poor and community-driven development projects and programs and also establish a civil society liaison desk.

“Considering the high rate of out-of-school children in the country, the forum calls on governments at both the federal and state levels to invest judiciously in basic education, with a special emphasis on the girl-child.

“We call upon governments at all levels, the UN, and INGO partners to enhance their engagement with communities. This will ensure community participation in project design, planning, and implementation, ultimately strengthening conflict mitigation, sustainability, and accountability.

“The conflict adversely affects productive men and women, hindering their active engagement in socio-political and economic activities such as farming and other means of livelihood. Therefore, deliberate efforts should be made to empower citizens to meet their basic life needs,” it added.